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Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this violent drama -- originally made for pay cable -- now airs on CBS in primetime. It focuses on a "hero" who is a serial killer, it's extremely dark and violent, and it's not intended for kids or teens in any way. CBS has bleeped out the profanity but left the story untouched. Blood is shown so often that it's almost a secondary character, and the protagonist is probably one of the worst role models a kid could have. Graphic close-ups of severed arms, legs, and heads reveal tissue that looks almost meat-like, so if you're watching without your kids, leave the munchies in the kitchen.

Families can talk about the fact that killing another human being, no matter what your motives might be, is 100 percent wrong. But is committing a less-drastic act that you know to be illegal ever OK if the person you're committing it against is a bad seed? How far is too far when it comes to revenge? Is there a point when your actions become just as reprehensible as the people and bad deeds you're targeting? Do the ends ever justify the means?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Kari Croop

Fans of HBO's Six Feet Under will likely be disappointed with this ill-fated, er, stab at dramedy starring erstwhile David Fisher Michael C. Hall, which unfortunately falls flat due to drab writing and characters who fail to intrigue.

As the macabre titular character of DEXTER (which is based on the novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay), Hall plays a man who metes out his own brand of vigilante justice on pedophiles, thieves, and the like by tracking them down and brutally killing them -- in the vein of Hammurabi's "eye for an eye" code. But the real catch is Dexter Morgan's day job: He's a blood-splatter expert for the Miami Police Department.

Of course, the other people in Dexter's life are clueless about his sick hobby. There's his sister, Debra (Jennifer Carpenter), a fellow cop with ambitions of becoming a homicide detective; his flirtatious boss, Lt. Maria LaGuerta (Lauren Velez); and his fellow co-workers Det. Angel Batista (David Zayas) and Sgt. Doakes (Erik King), the latter of whom seems to be the only one who suspects that Dexter isn't normal.

Dexter has a provocative premise, and it grasps desperately at being "edgy" by using blood and violence as a morbid punchline. But unlike the far superior American Psycho on the big screen (starring Christian Bale in a near-flawless performance), there's just something that doesn't work here. Despite the potential of the premise, the show lacks true bite -- and the use of a lifeless voiceover to guide viewers through the action doesn't help.

Viewers interested in the concept behind Dexter should check out the aforementioned American Psycho, as well as the surprisingly witty Wild Things -- just wait until after the kids are in bed. And to appreciate Hall's true talents, Six Feet Under is the way to go.

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Content
		CS	adults	kids
Sexual Content A nipple is shown (in footage from a snuff film). Much of the violence has sexual connections/overtones.
Violence This series is about a killer, so blood (dripping, pooling, clotting) abounds. There are several graphic shots of dead bodies that have been completely decapitated and dismembered. Other violent acts include shouting, pushing, choking, and strangling. A woman's traumatic rape is mentioned, and part of a snuff film is shown. One character alludes that another is a pedophile targeting adolescent boys.
Language "F--k" and other curse words fly freely, including "s--t," "tits," "damn," "bastard," and "bitch."
Message
	Social Behavior Although he justifies his murderous behavior as doing a favor to society, Dexter gets off on blood, death, and killing. Enough said.
	Commercialism
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Illegal drugs are discussed occasionally in relation to crime scenes and police matters.

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